Betting-Previews.com returns with another Formula One World Championship betting preview and predictions for the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix, slated for Sunday, September 5. The race will take place at Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands, for the first time since 1985, which should introduce a new and unique challenge for the drivers, as some weren’t even born when the last Dutch Grand Prix was held.
Previous Race
Usually, we take a look at what has happened at the previous race to get a better idea of what to expect next weekend. But, unfortunately, that isn’t exactly possible, except if you can call what has happened at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix a proper race.
Still, FIA declared a result of the race even though no racing took place, with Max Verstappen claiming his sixth win, George Russel locking in a historic podium finish, and Lewis Hamilton ending in third with a lot to say against the organizers.
There’s not a lot to be said about the Belgian Grand Prix. It was rainy, it was wet, and it wasn’t safe for racing.
Weather
The weather forecast for the weekend looks free of rain, which is always a positive. While the forecasters are not unanimous, they mostly disagree about the clouds. Regardless, it’s fair to say that the Dutch grand Prix will be dry, with sunny conditions on the race day and temperatures at around 20°C
A (Relatively) Unknown Track
We don’t have any past form to go on here, since none of the drivers competed here before, and their only record on the track relates to the junior formula. Still, it might be interesting to know that Verstappen won a Formula 3 race here in 2014, Lando Norris won two races, while Valtteri Bottas secured a couple of F3 podiums.
Carlos Sainz raced here three times, and his best placement was fifth, same as Charles Leclerc. Lance Stroll won one F3 race, while George Russel never placed better than fifth from six attempts. We could go on, but the idea is that not a single driver raced an F1 car on the Circuit Zandvoort before.
This leaves us with pure speculations as to who might do well on the track.
The track was designed by the same man who creates Suzuka, and you can see some similarities between the two. Circuit Zandvoort is a short track with only one straight and fast corner, something like a Hungaroring, but slightly faster.
Its narrow, twisty layout will also leave no room for error, as a simple mistake could get punished. However, the most important thing to know is that Circuit Zandvoort will award those who do well in the qualifiers. This could potentially benefit drivers and manufacturers who usually do well in qualifiers. One such combination is Pierre Gasly in Alpa Tauri.
Verstappen or Hamilton?
It really comes down to two names when you’re picking out a winner for the next Formula One race. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are priced at 2.10 at Bet365, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez sharing the status as the third-favourites at 17.00 at Bet355.
The odds make sense if we go back to what was said before about how Circuit Zandvoort is similar to Hungaroring, suggesting that either Mercedes or Red Bull will start the race in the front row. It’s fair to mention that while Mercedes had poles in Hungary, Verstappen has proven to be the best qualifier throughout the entire season.
You could make a case for either of the two, but the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix seems like a race where it’s best to wait until the qualifiers before you pull the trigger. Or, at the very least, we should wait until Friday’s practice to see which drivers feel the most comfortable on the track.
Still, we can’t leave you hanging without predictions, so we will settle for one ante-post bet.
Pierre Gasly Could Shine
As mentioned above, Pierre Gasly usually does well in qualifiers, and if his form is any indication, he should secure a strong starting position for the Dutch Grand Prix. Over the season, he has averaged 6.90 in qualifiers and has secured a spot on the third row (or better) in eight races so far.
Although Gasly consistently delivered in qualifiers, he also dropped spots, which was a thorn in his side over the season. However, it’s fair to assume that he will be to defend his position better in the Netherlands, considering he has done it in Hungary and Monaco, where overtaking is difficult, like on Circuit Zandvoort.
Prediction: Pierre Gasly top 6 finish – 3.75 at WilliamHill – 0.50 Units
